Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CAM INDEXING APPARATUS
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to tools positioned
downhole in a well
assembly, and more specifically, though not exclusively, to indexing systems
for remotely
actuated downhole tools that may be used in the production and operation of a
well.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A well system (e.g., oil or gas wells for extracting fluids from a
subterranean
formation) may include tools positioned downhole. These tools may be actuated
from the
surface using an indexing apparatus. Tools can include, but are not limited
to, flow control
devices and circulating subs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a well system including a
downhole tool
according to an aspect of the present disclosure.
[0004] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the downhole tool of FIG.
1 including
an indexing apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure.
[0005] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an indexing apparatus in an
initial position
according to an aspect of the present disclosure.
[0006] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
second
position during a first indexing cycle according to an aspect of the present
disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
third position
during the first indexing cycle according to an aspect of the present
disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
fourth position
during the first indexing cycle according to an aspect of the present
disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
fifth position
during the first indexing cycle according to an aspect of the present
disclosure.
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[0010] FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
sixth, final
position during the first indexing cycle and first, starting position during a
second indexing
cycle, according to an aspect of the present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
second
position during the second indexing cycle according to an aspect of the
present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
third position
during the second indexing cycle according to an aspect of the present
disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
fourth
position during the second indexing cycle according to an aspect of the
present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
fifth position
during the second indexing cycle according to an aspect of the present
disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 13 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
sixth, final
position during the second indexing cycle in which the indexing apparatus is
activated
according to an aspect of the present disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
first position
during resetting of the indexing apparatus according to an aspect of the
present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 15 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
second
position during resetting of the indexing apparatus according to an aspect of
the present
disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 16 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
third position
during resetting of the indexing apparatus according to an aspect of the
present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 17 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
fourth
position during resetting of the indexing apparatus according to an aspect of
the present
disclosure.
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[0020] FIG. 18 is a schematic illustration of the indexing apparatus in a
fifth and final
position in which the indexing apparatus has been reset according to an aspect
of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Certain aspects and examples of the disclosure relate to
controlling a valve of
a tubing string of a downhole tool positioned within a wellbore. The valve may
be a barrier
valve that can selectively provide fluid flow between an interior region of
the tubing string
and an annulus. In a closed position, the valve can isolate the formation
before an upper
completion is installed in the wellbore of a well system. The valve may also
permit pressure
testing to confirm the position of the valve in the open position or the
closed position. The
valve may be actuated or opened from a surface of the wellbore by applying a
pre-determined
number of hydraulic cycles to an indexing apparatus of the tubing string that
may control the
position of the valve. Once the predetermined number of hydraulic cycles is
applied to the
indexing apparatus from the surface, the valve can be forced into an open
position or a closed
position. In the open position, fluid may flow through from the annulus into
the interior of
the tubing string. The indexing apparatus may also be resettable from the
surface of the well
system to permit the repeated opening and closing of the valve from the
surface without
removal of the tubing string from the wellbore.
The indexing apparatus may comprise a tubular body having an outer surface and
an
inner surface defining an inner region of the tubular body. The indexing
apparatus may also
comprise another tubular body, or mandrel, which may be partially positioned
within the
inner region of the tubular body. A first end of the tubular body may have
multiple detents
that are sized and shaped to engage with multiple detents on a surface of the
mandrel. A cam
may be positioned with a recess on the surface of the mandrel. The cam may be
fixed in its
position relative to the tubular body and the mandrel. In some aspects, the
cam may be
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coupled to a housing of a downhole tool within which the indexing apparatus is
positioned.
The tubular body may also have a groove or recess that is sized to receive the
cam. The
tubular body and the mandrel may be able to move along a longitudinal axis
with respect to
the cam. The tubular body may also be able to rotate with respect to the
mandrel and the
cam.
The indexing apparatus may also include a spring coupled to a second end of
the
tubular body; the spring may apply a force to the second end of the tubular
body. A force
may also be applied to a second end of the mandrel. In some embodiments, a
piston may
apply the force to the second end of the mandrel. In some embodiments, another
element or
tractor device may apply the force to the second end of the mandrel. The
piston may be a
hydraulic piston that is activated by applying pressure from the surface of
the wellbore.
Thus, at one end of the indexing apparatus, a force is applied by a spring to
the second end of
the tubular body and at an opposite end of the indexing apparatus, a force may
be applied to
the second end of the mandrel. These dual forces can result in a bi-stable
indexing apparatus
that is consistently loaded by a force. This bi-stable feature can reduce
backlash in the
indexing apparatus during indexing.
The indexing apparatus may index (or rotate) both as the piston applies a
force to the
second end of the mandrel and as the force is released from the second end of
the mandrel.
The piston may be activated to apply the force by applying a pressure from the
surface of the
wellbore. In some aspects, the piston may be a hydraulic piston. Following a
predetermined
number of cycles of pressure application from the surface, the indexing
apparatus may
actuate causing a valve to open or to close in response to the actuation of
the indexing
apparatus. A single cycle of pressure application from the surface may include
an application
of force to the second end of the mandrel ("pressuring up") and the release of
the force from
the second end of the mandrel ("pressuring down").
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The indexing apparatus may actuate when the cam is positioned within the
groove or
recess in the tubular body. The indexing apparatus may also be reset and re-
actuated multiple
times without removing the indexing apparatus from the wellbore. The cam may
be removed
from the groove in the tubular body, thereby resetting the indexing apparatus,
by applying a
force to the opposite end of the mandrel such that the tubular body is moved
axially way from
the cam in an amount sufficient to disengage the cam from the groove in the
surface of the
tubular body. The indexing apparatus may be actuated again from the reset
position in
response to applying a predetermined number of cycles of pressure from the
surface.
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a well system 100 that includes a bore
that is a
wellbore 102 extending through various earth strata. The wellbore 102 has a
substantially
vertical section 104 that may include a casing string 106 cemented at an upper
portion of the
substantially vertical section 104. The well system 100 may include an upper
completion 108
positioned proximate to the casing string 106. The well system 100 may also
include a lower
completion string 110 positioned below the upper completion 108. A downhole
tool 114 may
be positioned within the well system 100 below the lower completion string
110. The
downhole tool 114 may be a flow control device, a circulating sub, or other
suitable
downhole tools. The downhole tool 114 may include an open position in which
fluid may
flow from a surrounding formation 116 through an inner region of the downhole
tool 114.
The downhole tool 114 may also include a closed position that prevents fluid
flow from the
surrounding formation 116 through the inner region of the downhole tool 114.
In the closed
position, the downhole tool 114 may isolate the well system 100 from the
surrounding
formation 116. For example, the downhole tool 114 in the closed position may
isolate the
wellbore 102 from the surrounding formation 116 prior to installing the lower
completion
string 110.
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FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional side view of the downhole tool 114 according
to an
aspect of the present disclosure. The downhole tool 114 may be, for example
but not limited
to a flow control device or a circulating sub. The downhole tool 114 may
include a tubing
string 120, a valve 122 (e.g., a ball), and an indexing apparatus 124 for
controlling the
position of the valve 122. In some aspects, the downhole tool 114 may have
additional
features or elements. The downhole tool 114 may be in the open position when
the valve 122
is in an open position to permit fluid flow from an outer surface 125 of the
tubing string 120
through an inner region 126 of the tubing string 120. The downhole tool 114
may be in the
closed position when the valve 122 is in a closed position to prevent fluid
flow from the outer
surface 125 through the inner region 126 of the tubing string 120. In the
closed position, the
downhole tool 114 may isolate the well system from a surrounding formation.
For example,
the downhole tool 114 in the closed position may isolate the wellbore from the
formation
prior to installing the lower completion string. The indexing apparatus 124
may be pressure
tested from the surface to determine the position of the valve 122 (e.g., to
determine if the
valve is in the open or the closed position).
The indexing apparatus 124 of the downhole tool 114 can control the position
of the
valve 122 by opening or closing the valve 122 in response to an application of
a
predetermined number of hydraulic cycles from the surface of the wellbore. The
indexing
apparatus 124 may also be resettable, to permit the valve 122 to be moved
between the closed
position and the open position multiple times. In some aspects, actuation of
the indexing
apparatus 124 may move the downhole tool 114 from an open position to a closed
position or
vice versa.
[0022] FIG. 3 depicts a side view of an indexing apparatus 130 positioned
within a
housing 131 of a tubing string 133 according to an aspect of the present
disclosure. The
tubing string 133 may be a downhole tool, for example but not limited to a
flow control
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device or a circulating sub. For ease of viewing, the housing 131 and the
tubing string 133
are not shown in FIGS. 4-18. The tubing string 133 may be a downhole tool, for
example but
not limited to a flow control device or a circulating sub. The indexing
apparatus 130 is
shown in FIG. 3 in a first position (or initial position). The first position
of the indexing
apparatus 130 can be the position the indexing apparatus 130 is in when it is
run downhole in
a wellbore for the initial installation. The indexing apparatus 130 may be
coupled to the
tubing string 133. The indexing apparatus 130 may include a spring 132, a
first tubular body
for example indexing body 134, another tubular body such as mandrel 136, and a
cam 138.
The indexing body 134 and the mandrel 136 may define a longitudinal axis 135
as shown in
FIG. 3. The spring 132 may be coupled to the indexing body 134 on a first end
140 of the
indexing body 134. The spring 132 may apply a force to the first end 140 of
the indexing
body 134. The indexing body 134 can have a circular cross-section, as shown in
FIG. 3,
though other cross-sections may be used, for example an oval cross-section.
The mandrel
136 can also have a circular cross-section and a first end of the mandrel 136
can be received
within an inner region of the indexing body 134. A force can be applied to a
second end 137
of the mandrel 136, for example by a piston 139. The piston 139 may be a
hydraulic piston
that may be activated by an application of pressure from a surface of the
wellbore. The
hydraulic piston may be integral with the indexing apparatus 130 or a separate
apparatus.
The indexing apparatus 130 is thus constantly loaded, from either the spring
132 at the first
end 140 of the indexing body 134 or the piston 139 on the second end 137 of
the mandrel
136. This constant loading can make the indexing apparatus 130 more stable
with less
backlash during indexing and activation.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, the cam 138 may be positioned within a groove
141 on an
outer surface 142 of the mandrel 136. The cam 138 may be fixed to the housing
131 of the
tubing string 133. In some aspects, the cam 138 may be machined integral to
the housing
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131, or in some aspects, the cam 138 may be a separate item that is attached
to the housing
131. For example, the cam 138 may be fixed to a housing of a downhole tool,
for example
but not limited to a flow control device, which includes the indexing
apparatus 130. In some
aspects, the cam 138 may be fixed to a separate sleeve or another housing
positioned
downhole. In other aspects, the cam 138 may be a machined part of a separate
sleeve or
another housing positioned downhole. The cam 138 is thereby fixed in its
position and the
mandrel 136 and the indexing body 134 may move relative to the cam 138. In
some aspects,
multiple cams may be used.
[0024] The indexing body 134 may also including a bearing (not shown)
that permits
the indexing body 134 to rotate freely relative to the mandrel 136 and the cam
138. The
indexing body 134 may include a plurality of body detents 144 that may extend
around a
circumference of the indexing body 134. The body detents 144 may be helically
cut. The
maximum number of cycles the indexing body 134 may be indexed may be limited
based on
one or more of the circumference of the indexing body 134, the needs of the
well (e.g., the
diameter of the wellbore or the number of hydraulic cycles desired), or the
size of the tubing
string of the downhole tool (e.g., a flow control device or a circulating sub)
to which the
indexing apparatus 124 is coupled. The indexing body 134 may also include a
recess 146
that is sized and shaped to receive the cam 138. For example, the recess 146
may be
generally rectangular in shape, though in some aspects the recess 146 may have
a different
shape. The recess 146 may have a length that is greater than a length of the
body detents 144
such that the cam 138.
[0025] The mandrel 136 can also include a plurality of mandrel detents
148 along a
surface of the mandrel 136. The mandrel detents 148 may also be helically cut.
The body
detents 144 and the mandrel detents 148 are sized and shaped to engage with
one another
when aligned. The cam 138 can also have a size and shape that corresponds to
the body
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detents 144 such that the body detents 144 can engage with the cam 138. The
engagement of
the cam 138 with the body detents 144 may prevent the indexing body 134 from
rotating.
The mandrel 136 may be locked rotationally by the cam 138 but may be moved
laterally in a
first direction along the longitudinal axis 135 in response to the piston 139
applying a force to
the second end 137 of the mandrel 136. The indexing body 134 may also force
the mandrel
136 to move laterally along the longitudinal axis 135 in a second direction.
[0026] The indexing apparatus 130 may have a predetermined number of
cycles
before the indexing apparatus 130 is activated. The indexing apparatus 130 may
be activated
when the cam 138 is engaged with the recess 146, causing a valve coupled to
the indexing
apparatus 130 to open or close. The number of cycles the indexing apparatus
130 may
complete prior to activation may be determined by the number of body detents
144 and the
initial position of the recess 146 in the indexing body 134 relative to the
cam 138. For
example, the number of body detents 144 between the cam 138 and the recess 146
when the
indexing apparatus 130 is initially run downhole may determine the number of
cycles of
hydraulic pressure that are applied to the indexing apparatus 130 from the
surface to activate
the indexing apparatus 130.
[0027] FIG. 3 depicts the indexing apparatus 130 in the first position,
which may be
the position the indexing apparatus 130 is in when run downhole. In the first
position, the
indexing body 134 is spring loaded by the spring 132 on the first end 140 of
the indexing
body 134. The spring 132 can act to force the indexing body 134 against the
cam 138. In
some aspects, a force member other than a spring may be used to apply a force
to the first end
140 of the indexing body 134. In the first position, shown in FIG. 3 with the
cam 138
positioned against a body detent 144a, there remains two cycles before
activation of the
indexing apparatus 130 when the cam 138 is positioned within the recess 146 of
the indexing
body 134. The first cycle corresponds to moving the cam 138 from its initial
position
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engaged with the body detent 144a to be engaged with a body detent 144b at the
end of the
first cycle. The second cycle corresponds to moving the cam 138 from
engagement with the
body detent 144b to engagement with the recess 146 of the indexing body,
causing activation
of the indexing apparatus 130. The first cycle is initiated from the first
position by the piston
139 applying a force at the second end 137 of the mandrel 136. The force of
the piston 139 at
the second end 137 moves the mandrel 136 axially towards the indexing body 134
to a
second position, shown in FIG. 4. The piston 139 may be moved to apply the
force to the
second end 137 of the mandrel 136 by applying pressure from the surface of the
wellbore.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, in the second position, the cam 138 is no
longer in
contact with the indexing body 134. In the second position, the piston forces
the mandrel 136
against the body detents 144 of the indexing body 134 and forces the spring
132 to compress.
The body detent 144a of the indexing body 134 no longer engages with the cam
138. The
disengagement between the body detent 144a of the indexing body 134 and the
cam 138
permits the indexing body 134 to rotate.
[0029] FIG. 5 depicts the indexing apparatus 130 at a third position, mid-
index during
the first cycle. In the third position, the indexing body 134 has rotated, the
piston 139 is still
applying a force to the second end 137 of the mandrel 136, and the body
detents 144 and the
mandrel detents 148 are engaged. The engagement of the body detents 144 and
the mandrel
detents 148 can prevent the indexing body 134 from rotating. Subsequently, the
piston
pressure at the second end 137 of the mandrel 136 is released.
[0030] FIG. 6 depicts the indexing apparatus 130 at a fourth position, as
the piston
pressure applied by the piston 139 at the second end 137 of the mandrel 136 is
mid-release.
With the decreasing piston pressure at the second end 137 of the mandrel 136,
the mandrel
136 retracts away from the indexing body 134 disengaging the body detents 144
and the
mandrel detents 148. The spring 132 forces the indexing body 134 towards the
mandrel 136.
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The cam 138, which is stationary, is in contact with a surface of the indexing
body 134 but is
not engaged with a body detent 144. The body detents 144 are not engaged with
the mandrel
detents 148, and the cam 138 is not engaged with a body detent 144 permitting
the indexing
body 134 to rotate.
[0031] FIG. 7 depicts the indexing apparatus 130 at a fifth position,
following the
rotation of the indexing body 134. As shown in FIG. 7, the indexing body 134
is free to
rotate until the cam 138 becomes engaged with a body detent 144b of the
indexing body 134
preventing further rotation of the indexing body 134. FIG. 8 depicts the
indexing apparatus
at a sixth position and final position for the first indexing cycle. From the
fifth position
(shown in FIG. 7), the force applied by the piston 139 to the second end 137
of the mandrel
136 is fully released and the mandrel 136 retracts further, separating the
mandrel detents 148
from the body detents 144. From the first position (shown in FIG. 3) to the
sixth position
(shown in FIG. 8) is one indexing cycle of the indexing apparatus 130. The
sixth position of
the indexing apparatus 130 is similar to the first position of the indexing
apparatus 130,
except with the cam 138 engaged with the body detent 144b (shown in FIG. 8) as
opposed to
the body detent 144a (shown in FIG. 3). The single indexing cycle described
above
corresponds to the cam 138 moving from the body detent 144a to the second body
detent
144b as seen by comparing the position of the cam 138 in FIG. 3 to the
position of the cam
138 in FIG. 8.
[0032] One indexing cycle of the indexing apparatus 130 corresponds to a
single
application of pressure from the surface to activate the piston 139 to apply a
force to the
mandrel 136 and the full release of that pressure from the surface. The
release of pressure of
the surface corresponds to the piston 139 reducing the force (or amount of
pressure) applied
to the second end 137 of the mandrel 136. The application of pressure from the
surface
corresponding to the application of force by the piston 139 on the mandrel 136
during one
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indexing cycle corresponds to FIGS. 4-5, which can be referred to as
"pressuring-up" the
indexing apparatus 130. The subsequent release of pressure from the surface
corresponding
to the reduction in force applied by the piston 139 on the second end 137 of
the mandrel 136
corresponds to FIGS. 6-8, which can be referred to as "pressuring-down" the
indexing
apparatus 130. As described above with reference to the figures, the indexing
body 134
rotates during both the "pressuring-up" and the "pressuring-down" phases of
the indexing
cycle.
[0033] The indexing apparatus 130 commences a second cycle from the sixth
position
shown in FIG. 8. To commence the second cycle the indexing apparatus 130 again
pressures-
up by forcing the piston 139 against the second end 137 of the mandrel 136. As
shown in
FIG. 9, the pressure of the piston 139 on the second end 137 of the mandrel
136 forces the
mandrel 136 towards the indexing body 134 and forces the indexing body 134
away from the
cam 138, compressing the spring 132. The indexing body 134 moves away from the
cam 138
an amount sufficient to disengage the cam 138 from the body detent 144b. The
body detents
144 of the indexing body 134 are also disengaged from the mandrel detents 148
of the
mandrel 136, freeing the indexing body 134 to rotate.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 10, the indexing body 134 rotates to a mid-index
position in
which the body detents 144 of the indexing body 134 are engaged with the
mandrel detents
148 of the mandrel 136. The engagement of the body detents 144 and the mandrel
detents
148 prevent further rotation of the indexing body 134. At the position shown
in FIG. 10, the
piston 139 continues to apply pressure the second end 137 of the mandrel 136.
[0035] FIG. 11 depicts the indexing apparatus 130 as the amount of
pressure the
piston 139 is applying to the mandrel 136 is decreased, "pressuring-down"
during the second
cycle. As the amount of pressure applied by the piston 139 is decreased, the
mandrel 136 is
retracts toward the piston 139. As the mandrel 136 moves axially towards the
piston 139, the
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body detents 144 and the mandrel detents 148 disengage from one another. The
cam 138 is
not engaged with any of the body detents 144 in the position shown in FIG. 11,
and the
indexing body 134 is thus free to rotate. From the position shown in FIG. 11,
the indexing
body 134 rotates. As the indexing body 134 rotates, the cam 138 becomes
aligned with the
recess 146, shown in FIG. 12.
[0036] FIG. 13 depicts the position of the indexing apparatus 130 as the
pressure
applied by the piston 139 is fully released. As the piston pressure is fully
released, the spring
132 forces the indexing body 134 towards the mandrel 136. The indexing body
134 moves
axially towards to mandrel 136 pushing the mandrel 136 towards the piston 139.
As the
indexing body 134 moves axially towards the mandrel 136 the cam 138 becomes
positioned
within the recess 146 of the indexing body 134, as shown in FIG. 13,
completing the second
cycle of indexing. The engagement of the cam 138 and the recess 146 can
prevent the
indexing body 134 from rotating further. In some aspects, the spring 132
forces the indexing
body 134 toward the mandrel 136 until an end 150 of the cam 138 is flush
against a surface
of the indexing body 134 that defines the end of the recess 146, preventing
the indexing body
134 from moving any further.
[0037] The movement of the indexing body 134 along the length of the cam
138 as
the cam 138 is received by the recess 146 can force the mandrel 136 to move
towards the
piston 139. The movement of the mandrel 136 can directly or indirectly axially
move a
sleeve, the movement of the sleeve may cause a valve of a fluid control device
or other
device to move to an open position. In some aspects, the movement of the
mandrel 136 can
cause a latch mechanism to become de-supported, causing the valve to open. In
some
aspects, the movement of the mandrel 136 can cause a sliding sleeve of a
tubular, such as a
circulating sub, to release a valve to move to an open position. With the cam
138 received
within the recess 146, the indexing apparatus 130 is said to be in the
activated position, in
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which the valve is moved to the open position. In some aspects, the actuation
of the indexing
apparatus 130 may cause a valve to be moved to a closed position.
[0038] Though FIGS. 3-13 depict the indexing apparatus 130 requiring two
pressure
cycles to activate of the indexing apparatus 130, more or fewer cycles may be
used in other
aspects of the present disclosure. For example, the indexing apparatus 130
could be run in
hole with the recess 146 of the indexing body 134 positioned more than two
body detents 144
away from the cam 138, thus it would take more than two cycles indexing to
position the cam
138 within the recess 146. In some aspects, the cam 138 may be two, four, six,
eight, or any
other suitable number of body detents 144 away from the recess 146 in the
indexing body 134
when the indexing apparatus 130 is run downhole. In some aspects, an indexing
body of an
indexing apparatus may comprise more or fewer detents than shown in the aspect
of FIGS. 3-
13. For example, in some aspects, an indexing body may have five, ten,
fifteen, twenty or
any other suitable number of detents positioned about its circumference. In
some aspects, the
circumference of the indexing body can determine at least in part the number
of detents.
[0039] From the activated position, shown in FIG. 13, the indexing
apparatus 130 can
be reset to permit additional cycles to re-activate the indexing apparatus 130
without having
to remove the indexing apparatus 130 from the wellbore. To reset the indexing
apparatus 130
from the activated position (shown in FIG. 13), the indexing apparatus 130 may
be pressured-
up by applying pressure from the surface to force the piston 139 to apply
pressure to the
second end 137 of the mandrel 136. The piston 139 can force the mandrel 136 to
move
axially towards the indexing body 134. The mandrel 136 can force the indexing
body 134 to
move axially away from the cam 138, compressing the spring 132. The piston 139
can
continue to force the mandrel 136 towards the indexing body 134 and thereby
force the
indexing body 134 to continue to move axially towards the spring 132, until
the indexing
body 134 has moved axially away from the cam 138 enough to disengage the cam
138 from
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the recess 146, as shown in FIG. 14. The movement of the mandrel 136 and the
indexing
body 134 towards the spring 132 in the amount sufficient to release the cam
138 from the
recess 146 in the indexing body 134 can directly or indirectly axially move a
sleeve or other
component to causes the valve of a fluid control device or other device to
return to the open
position. For example, in some aspects, the mandrel 136 may be coupled to a
sliding sleeve
of a tubular body (e.g., a fluid control device or a circular sub). The
sliding sleeve may move
between a first position and a second position in response to the movement of
the mandrel
136. The position of the sliding sleeve may control the position of a valve of
the tubular
body. In some aspects, the movement of the mandrel 136 to release the cam 138
from the
recess 146 may force a sliding sleeve to move to a position that forces a
valve to move from
an open position to a closed position. In some aspects, the mandrel 136 may be
coupled to a
valve by other means sufficient to control the position of the valve in
response to the
movement of the mandrel 136.
[0040] In the position shown in FIG. 14, the cam 138 is disengaged from
the recess
146 and the body detents 144 are disengaged from the mandrel detents 148
allowing the
indexing body 134 to rotate. FIG. 15 depicts the indexing body in the mid-
index position
following the rotating of the indexing body 134. As shown in FIG. 15 the
indexing body 134
may rotate until the body detents 144 become engaged with the mandrel detents
148,
preventing the indexing body 134 from rotating any further.
[0041] From the mid-index position shown in FIG. 15, the pressure applied
by the
piston 139 on the second end 137 of the mandrel 136 is reduced, as the
pressure is reduced,
the mandrel 136 retracts and moves axially away from the indexing body 134.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 16, the movement of the mandrel 136 away from the
indexing body 134 disengages the body detents 144 and the mandrel detents 148.
With the
body detents 144 disengaged from the mandrel detents 148 the indexing body 134
is free to
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rotate. The indexing body 134 can rotate until the cam 138 becomes engaged
with the body
detent 144c, preventing the indexing body 134 from rotating any further, as
shown in FIG.
17. The pressure applied by the piston 139 against the second end 137 of the
mandrel 136 is
then fully released permitting the mandrel 136 to move further towards the
piston 139 and
away from the indexing body 134. As the mandrel 136 moves away from the
indexing body
134, the engagement between the cam 138 and the body detent 144c continues to
prevent the
indexing body 134 from rotating any further, as shown in FIG. 18. The indexing
apparatus
130 as shown in FIG. 18 is in a reset position and can now engage in the pre-
determined
number of cycles to activate the indexing apparatus 130 again.
[0043] The indexing apparatus 130 may be a component that may be
installed with a
downhole tool, for example but not limited to a fluid control device, a
circulating sub, or
other suitable downhole tools. For example, in some aspects of the disclosure
the indexing
apparatus 130 may be part of a circulating sub, in such an aspect a sliding
sleeve may be
coupled to the indexing apparatus 130 for controlling the position of the
valve. The indexing
apparatus 130 may have a length that is between about one foot and about four
feet (about .3
meter to about 1.2 meters), in some aspects the indexing apparatus 130 may be
approximately
two feet long (about .6 meter). The relatively small size of the indexing
apparatus 130 can
improve the ability to test the indexing apparatus 130 prior to installation.
As described
above, the indexing apparatus 130 is capable of being reset while positioned
downhole,
without having to remove the indexing apparatus 130 or the downhole device it
is installed
within from the wellbore.
[0044] Example 1: An indexing apparatus may comprise a tubular body, a
mandrel, a
cam, and a spring. The tubular body may comprise a first end and a second end.
The tubular
body may further comprise a plurality of body detents on the second end of the
tubular body
and a recess in a surface of the tubular body. The mandrel may comprise a
plurality of
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17
mandrel detents on a surface of the mandrel, each mandrel detent of the
plurality of mandrel
detents may be sized and shaped to engage with a body detent of the plurality
of body detents
on the second end of the tubular body. The cam may be sized to be received in
the recess of
the surface of the tubular body. The spring may be coupled to the first end of
the tubular
body.
[0045] Example 2: The indexing apparatus of Example 1 may further
comprise a
piston positioned at an end of the mandrel for applying a force to the end of
the mandrel.
[0046] Example 3: The indexing apparatus of any of Examples 1-2 may
further
comprise the cam being fixed to a housing of a tubing string in which the
indexing apparatus
is positioned.
[0047] Example 4: The indexing apparatus of any of Examples 1-3 may
further
comprise the body detents and the mandrel detents being helically cut.
[0048] Example 5: The indexing apparatus of any of Examples 1-4 may
comprise the
indexing apparatus having a length that is between approximately 1 foot and
approximately 4
feet.
[0049] Example 6: The indexing apparatus of any of Examples 1-5 may
comprise the
mandrel being movable axially towards the tubular body in response to a force
being applied
on an end of the mandrel.
[0050] Example 7: The indexing apparatus of Example 6, further comprising
the
tubular body being movable axially away from an end of the cam to disengage
the cam from
the recess in the surface of the tubular body in response to the force being
applied the end of
the mandrel.
[0051] Example 8: The indexing apparatus of any of Examples 1-7 further
comprising
the cam being positioned within a groove in the surface of the mandrel.
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18
[0052] Example 9: A tubing assembly may comprise a tubing string and an
indexing
apparatus. The tubing string may comprise a housing defining an inner region
of the tubing
string and a valve positioned in the inner region of the tubing string. The
indexing apparatus
may be positioned within the inner region of the tubing string and coupled to
the valve. The
indexing apparatus may comprise a tubular body having a first end and a second
end, the
tubular body also having a plurality of body detents on the second end of the
tubular body
and a recess in a surface of the tubular body. The indexing apparatus may also
comprise a
mandrel comprising a plurality of mandrel detents on a surface of the mandrel,
the mandrel
detents may be sized and shaped to engage with the body detents on the tubular
body. The
indexing apparatus may also comprise a cam sized to be received in the recess
of the surface
of the tubular body, as well as force member coupled to the first end of the
tubular body.
[0053] Example 10: The tubing assembly of Example 9 may further comprise
a piston
at an end of the mandrel for applying a force to the end of the mandrel.
[0054] Example 11: The tubing assembly of any of Examples 9-10 may
further
comprise the cam being a separate element from the housing of the tubing
string.
[0055] Example 12: The tubing assembly of Example 11 may also feature the
cam
being coupled to the housing of the tubing string.
[0056] Example 13: The tubing assembly of any of Examples 9-12 may
further
comprise the force member being a spring.
[0057] Example 14: The tubing assembly of any of Examples 9-13 may
further
comprise the cam being positioned within a groove in a surface of the mandrel.
[0058] Example 15: The tubing assembly of Example 10 may further comprise
the
piston being a hydraulic piston that activates in response to a pressure being
applied from a
surface of a wellbore within which the tubing assembly is positioned.
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[0059] Example 16: The tubing assembly of any of Examples 9-15 may
further
comprise the tubing assembly having a length that is between approximately 1
foot and
approximately 4 feet.
[0060] Example 17: The tubing assembly of any of Examples 9-16 may
further
comprise the tubing string being a flow control device.
[0061] Example 18: An indexing assembly may comprise a first tubular
body, a
second tubular body, a spring, and a cam. The first tubular body may have a
plurality of
detents on a first end, a surface of the first tubular body defining an inner
region of the first
tubular body. The second tubular body may have a plurality of detents on a
surface of the
second tubular body, the plurality of detents may be sized to receive the
plurality of detents
on the first end of the first tubular body. A first end of the second tubular
body may be sized
to be received in the inner region of the first tubular body. The spring may
be configured to
apply a force to a second end of the first tubular body. The force applied by
the spring may
oppose a force applied to a second end of the second tubular body. The cam may
be sized to
be received within a recess in the surface of the first tubular body. The
first tubular body
may be rotatable with respect to the second tubular body and may move axially
along a
longitudinal axis. The second tubular body may be movable axially along the
longitudinal
axis.
[0062] Example 19: The indexing assembly of Example 18 may further
comprise the
cam being fixed in place relative to the first tubular body and the second
tubular body.
[0063] Example 20: The indexing assembly of any of Examples 18-19 may
further
comprise the second tubular body moving the first tubular body to axially away
from an end
of the cam to disengage the cam from the recess in the surface of the first
tubular body.
[0064] The foregoing description of certain examples, including
illustrated examples,
has been presented only for the purpose of illustration and description and is
not intended to
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be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed.
Numerous
modifications, adaptations, and uses thereof will be apparent to those skilled
in the art
without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
